


Silent Command

by cadkitten



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Drabble, Gen, Pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 07:57:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7749577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cadkitten/pseuds/cadkitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick desperately tries to train Titus, but the dog won't take a single one of his commands. There's a reason for it, but not the one Dick suspects.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silent Command

**Author's Note:**

> For DynamicDuoWeek2016 over on tumblr. Day 5: Native Language  
> Beta Readers: kate1zena  
> Song[s]: "NOVA SPIRAL" by DECAYS

Damian leaned against the wall just beside the back door to the Manor, his arms folded across his chest, windbreaker rustling as he shifted the slightest amount. He watched Titus' gaze slip to him and then away, hid his smirk in the collar of the jacket. 

Grayson stood in the midst of the crunchy brown grass, a bag of treats poking out of his pocket, saliva-coated rubber ball in one hand, and Titus' leash in the other. 

"Titus, sit!" The command came out desperate, like a plea born on the lips of a man nearly at the end of his rope. Titus remained standing, tail waving gently in the air, the light swish of it stirring a few leaves beneath him with each pass. He did _not_ sit. 

"Titus," Dick clicked his tongue, waving the ball around a bit and Titus glanced at him, his head turning to let Dick know he was paying attention. "Well, you're not deaf, that's for damn sure." The muttered words made their way back up to where Damian was resting and it took everything in him not to chuckle. He hadn't intervened yet simply because he didn't see it as necessary. Dick's frustration was a source of amusement and Titus remained unaware he was stressing out a member of the family.

Titus flopped down on his belly, head resting on his paws and Damian heard Dick sigh. "Fine... roll over? C'mon boy, will you roll over?" Dick knelt next to the Great Dane, pushing at his stomach a bit, trying to get him to roll. Titus flopped onto his side and lifted two paws, ducking his head and licking at Dick's hand. A disgusted noise bubbled up in Dick's throat and Damian took pity on him, pushing away from the wall and starting down the hill towards them. 

Dick glanced back at him as he wiped his hand on his jeans. "About time... your dog is impossible to train!"

Damian smiled mildly at Dick. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was amused by the pair. Coming to a stop next to Dick, Damian held out a hand, turned it palm up and tucked all but two fingers in, making an upward lifting motion with them. In a second Titus was on his feet. Damian pointed to the ground at his feet and Titus moved just enough to sit there and then plopped himself down on his rear right in front of him, ears perked and tail completely still. "You just have to speak his language, that's all."

Holding out his hand for the ball, Dick placed it in his palm, and Damian held it up, showed it to Titus, and then gave a single nod before pitching it as far as he could. Titus remained still until Damian flicked one finger out toward the ball. Titus tore off after it, leaving a chunk of dead grass uprooted at Damian's feet.

A minute later, Titus bolted right back to them and Damian squatted down, held out his hand and Titus dropped the ball into his hand. Damian placed it on the ground and held out one palm, smacking it with the other and leaving his palms together. Titus flopped over onto his side, rolled onto his back, and stuck his legs straight up in the air. Damian brought up his index finger and made a circle in the air and Titus rolled twice and then stood as Damian lifted two fingers again. "Titus is trained better than _you_ are; you only need to know how to command him."

Dick huffed and snapped his fingers, gaining Titus' attention long enough to point at the ground in front of him. Titus trotted over and plunked his butt down in front of Dick. Damian watched as Dick's mouth twisted in amusement and expected his laugh before it came bubbling up. He held out a handful of treats for the dog, letting him lick them up from his hand as he stroked the fur on top of his head. "Only you would use silent commands."

"Think of the advantages. Simple tricks are not all that he knows, Grayson." Damian turned away, trailing up toward the house again. "Unlike _you_." There was no malice in the words, the hint of his smile leaving them without venom, only the tease of one brother to another. 

"Look who's talking!" The words drifted back up to him as he stepped inside; he didn't bother stopping the way the corners of his lips tugged upwards. Some things would never change.


End file.
